WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 041712

Details of how Colorado's Lower North Fork Fire erupted from a controlled burn into a deadly wildfire are now available in a 152-page report (1); while officials in Austin and Travis County, Texas, are working to prepare the public for wildfires of the future (2). Michigan's Department of Natural Resources announced Wildfire Prevention Week, which runs through the 21st of April (3). Pennsylvania's Poconos are under a Red Flag warning through this evening due to gusty winds and dry conditions (4); but in a turnabout, a structure fire in Lehigh County became a wildfire (5). Arson investigators believe that a wildfire which burned outside of Kennebunk, Maine, over the weekend was deliberately set (6); while fire officials across Maine and New Hampshire are concerned that current conditions could lead to another devastating wildfire like the 17,000-acre "Great Fire of 1947" (7). The next article takes a closer look at the Massachusetts fire control tower network (8); where firefighters are monitoring the remains of a wildfire that burned 17.5 acres in Milford (9). A 25-acre wildfire kept 30 firefighters busy in Wallingford, Connecticut, yesterday (10); while a $110,000 federal grant is allowing Staten Island, New York, to reduce the wildfire fuel in its area (11). Sparks from a munitions test is suspected in the ignition of a 100-acre wildfire burning on the grounds of New Jersey's Picatinny Arsenal (12). An update on wildfires burning in Virginia is provided by the next item (13); but two of those wildfires appear to have been deliberately set (14); and even though there is a great deal of smoke in Augusta County, officials assured residents that it's not from local fires (15). Firefighters lit a half-acre controlled burn in the midst of a wildfire burn area outside of Wilmington, North Carolina, to consume unburned fuel (16); while firefighters from North Carolina Forest Service kept an eye on three wildfires sparked yesterday (17). Florida fire officials are warning residents of Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter and Lake counties of an elevated wildfire risk due to drought conditions across the region (18); but Alaska Interagency Coordination Center is projecting a normal fire season for that state due to heavy rains last fall increasing the moisture content in fuel (19). After firefighters were called out to hundreds of grass fires since the beginning of 2012, a spokesman for Forestry Commission Wales cites tradition as being behind many of these blazes (20); while a military flare has been blamed for a wildfire that destroyed several acres of grassland in Wigtownshire, Scotland (21). A wildfire destroyed 3,000 trees outside of Cebu City, Philippines (22); and a weekend wildfire in Maharashtra, India's, Panchavati Hills briefly threatened ammunition stocks at the nearby Armament Research and Development Establishment (23). Lawyers representing 1,500 plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against an Australian power utility welcomed legal action by Victoria for compensation (24); but Fire and Emergency Services Authority testified at a parliamentary hearing that an ultra marathon which resulted in several bushfire injuries in Kimberley, Western Australia, should have been canceled or relocated (25). And finally, a memorial service was held for a volunteer firefighter in New Jersey who served an astounding 71 years on the job!

(1) Report on Lower North Fork Fire faults patrol of controlled burn

(2) New initiative aims to get Austinites 'Wildfire Ready'

(3) Wildfire season in Michigan marked with prevention week

(4) Wildfire threat high today in Poconos

(5) Lehigh County fire spreads from garage to brush

(6) Maine Forest Service Calls Weekend Wildfire Suspicious

(7) Conditions ripe for forest fires

(8) Ludlow fire tower helps spot dangerous brush fires

(9) Firefighters still battle Milford brush fire

(10) Brush fire burns 25 acres near Community Lake in Wallingford

(11) Stay vigilant on wildfires

(12) Stubborn brush fire burns 100 acres in remote area of Picatinny Arsenal

(13) Wildfires Tuesday update: Backburning finished, extra crews to be sent home

(14) Arson suspected in Va. wildfires; reward offered

(15) Smoke, but no fire in Augusta

(16) Fire crews conduct controlled burn to help keep wildfire contained

(17) UPDATE: Crews Continuing To Monitor Carteret, Onslow Fires

(18) Central Florida residents warned about 'very high' wildfire risk

(19) Scientists expect normal Alaska wildfire season

(20) Deliberate grass fires 'socially accepted', says Forestry Commission Wales

(21) Wildfire that destroyed grassland started by flare during military exercise

(22) Blaze consumes trees in reforestation site, damages part of watershed

(23) ‘Forest fire on Pashan hill raged close to ammo stock’

(24) Class-action lawyers welcome Black Saturday lawsuit

(25) Kimberley ultramarathon 'should have been cancelled'

(26) Firefighter Remembered For 71 Years Of Volunteer Service